Born in Mumbai in 1940, Haren Vakil is one of the upcoming Indian contemporary artists. The artist has had many solo shows in Canada as well as in India. Haren holds a degree in Architecture as well as a post graduate diploma from the Victoria College of Art, Canada. Haren worked as an architect and urban designer in India and the Netherlands.
Harn Vakil’s work is something that is surrealistic and striking. In fact in one of the interviews he has stated “My intent is to produce images which evoke wonder, surprise and amusement.” His art work takes you into a world that is full of fantasy. What is particularly interesting about this artistic personality is the way in which he intertwines reality and dream like situations. There are a lot many situations where you can see the artist’s interest especially in music painted on the canvas. Haren is particularly passionate about jazz and this can be seen in his work. In fact, he admits that he is influenced by his background in architecture and his experiences of various cultures.
Vakil’s work is pleasant and he takes us through images that are out of context. He uses certain objects and places them in situations one wouldn’t think of. He uses bold bright colours with expressions on objects that leave you in amusement. Most of the images use monochromatic colours that are multicultural with diverse meanings.
Haren’s recent exhibitions include one held at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2005; ‘Figure it Out’ at Fran Willis Gallery, Victoria, in 2003; and at Gallery 1248, Victoria, in 2001, 2000 and 1999.
Modern Indian painting is quite different from ancient Indian paintings. There is a story behind movement of modern Indian paintings the foundation of which was laid in the art schools of Kolkata. This started to happen during the beginning of 20th century. During the initial days, the movement followed Indo-European genre of painting that was also known as the Company style. Modern Indian painting movement is a very critical chapter in Indian history because of the trends it started and values it stood for. India was fighting a political battle for liberation and the Indian artists were also trying to get rid of traditional mindsets. This emerging social consciousness was truly manifested through emergence of modern Indian painting movement. 
One of the rich but relatively less known traditions of Indian paintings is Pahari Paintings. As the name suggests the paintings are from the hills of India. The credit of this rich tradition goes to Rajput kings of Himachal Pradesh. The kings were known for their great taste of art and culture. They patronized the tradition of Pahari paintings during 17th to the 19th century. The beauty of this Northern state greatly inspired the artists to create mesmerizing pieces of art. Generally, the backdrop of these paintings is breathtaking landscapes of the mountain ranges. Pahari paintings are mostly in miniature style. 
Many forms of Indian paintings are relatively unknown despite being rich in tradition in deeply rooted in culture. One of such forms of paintings is Pichwai painting. Originated in Rajasthan, it is basically a type of traditional fabric painting. Mostly used in temples of Shrinathji, pichwai painting is considered as quite refined and detailed in nature. 
Tribal art is a way of life. If anyone wants to know about a certain tribe and its culture then look at the art works produced by them. These art works offer best chance of looking into the philosophy of a tribe. Often depicted through colorful images, tribal art is nothing if not enchanting. Tribal art can also be described as traditional art of indigenous people. Numerous fascinating examples of tribal art can be found in regions such as India, America, Indonesia, Africa and Polynesia. These tribal arts have continued to flourish since centuries. It is a wonderful medium of expression for the tribes who have generally remained cut-off from the mainstream nation. For tribes, it is a form of recreation as well as celebration. 
The beautiful specimens of Indian art can be found in all parts of the country. The beauty of Indian art lies in variation found from village to village and region to region. All the regions in India have their separate art culture. One of the lesser known but beautiful piece of paintings can be witnessed in eastern state of West Bengal. This state has thrived on producing amazing variety of Patua Paintings that are basically sheets of paper sewn together. Once sewn, paint is used on these structures. These sheets of papers basically contain mythological stories. The narration part is as appealing as the painting part.